DARTMOUTH – The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth has permanently appointed its current interim dean of the Charlton College of Business – Angappa Gunasekaran – as the official head of the business school.

“Over the last few months, Dr. Gunasakaran has impressed us all with his collaborative spirit and dedication to student success,” UMass Dartmouth Chancellor Divina Grossman said in prepared remarks.

“He brings a wealth of experience and perspective to job of dean, and we look forward to working with him to expand the college’s positive impact on the lives of individual students as well as the regional economy,” added Grossman.

Prior to serving as interim dean, Gunasekaran served as the chairperson of the Department of Decision and Information Sciences at the Charlton College of Business, starting in 2006.

According to university release, during his time as chairperson, Gunasekaran obtained $4 million worth of grant funding and in-kind support for academic activity within the department.

“I am extremely happy and honored to accept the role of dean,” said Gunasekaran in a statement. “The Charlton College of Business has an outstanding faculty that is dedicated to a model of teaching, research and engagement that creates a transformative learning experience for undergraduates and graduate students.”

A member of the faculty since 1998, Gunsakaran is described by UMass as one its its “most esteemed scholars.” He is an expert in operations management and information systems, he has published approximately 250 journal articles and given many invited talks, as well as serving on the editorial board of several journals.

Gunasekaran is the founding director of the Business Innovation Research Center, which was created to conduct training and applied research in support of regional economic development. He also recently established the SouthCoast Business Innovation Laboratory in partnership with the Advanced Technology Manufacturing Center in Fall River.

Get the most up-to-date data on the Rhode Island and southern Massachusetts business community from the PBN List Center. Download and purchase PBN Lists as well as the complete Book of Lists in Excel format.